Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, February 6, 1994 TAG: 9402060055
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-12 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
They are Blacksburg, William Byrd, Covington, Fort Chiswell and Giles. And they are five teams that no one should want to face.
Four of them aren't likely to win a district title. The other school, Blacksburg, probably will win the New River District crown, even though the Indians may finish the regular season with a losing record.
Yet, each of the five schools has a chance to reach its regional tournament and win a game there. In Blacksburg's case, the Indians have a better-than-even shot at making the Group AA state semifinals in Charlottesville.
Here is why these teams are so dangerous:
Blacksburg is 5-7 after beating Radford on Friday, but the Indians' top two players - Jay Safford and Tony Wheeler - have played together in only about half of their games because of sickness and injury.
Without Safford, who had pneumonia, Blacksburg carried once-beaten Northside to overtime. The Indians have been inconsistent - losing at home to Alleghany and Tazewell - but with Safford and Wheeler at 100 percent, this team could win the Region IV tournament and earn a home game in the first round of the state tournament.
Coach Bob Trear points out that Blacksburg played seven of its first 11 games on the road against a strong schedule.
William Byrd (8-6) had Northside beaten twice and let the Vikings off the hook both times. The Terriers gave once-beaten Salem a scare and blitzed Group AAA Cave Spring 96-86 as they shredded the Knights' offense.
Byrd's problem has been defense - or lack of it - in some games, such as Friday night's 92-81 loss to Alleghany.
"I would think we're a sleeper," said Paul Barnard, the Terriers' coach. "I would say whoever plays us would have a tough time winning a [tournament] championship, and if they haven't qualified for the next round, they wouldn't want to play us."
Brothers Donald and Chris Childress, and Michael McGuire are the best of some terrific shooters for the Terriers.
Fort Chiswell (7-8) is one of two Mountain Empire District teams that have a chance to make tournament time tough for front-running Floyd County and Grayson County.
Danny Jonas says his Pioneers are playing well after losing six of their first seven games. Fort Chiswell has 6-foot-1 Andy Jackson and 6-3 Jody Burnett, who have scored more than 650 points between them.
Giles (6-7) is the other Mountain Empire entry that may be a sleeper. The Spartans lost six of their first seven games after a late start because of the success of their football team, which won the Group A Division 2 state title in mid-December.
"We started out kind of sluggish, and I think we've got a ways to go," said John Howlett, Giles' coach. "We're going to get better. I'm pleased at the state we're in."
The Spartans don't have a great scorer, but height is plentiful, starting with leading scorer Patrick Steele, one of four players around 6-4.
Giles has been in this position before. The Spartans lost to Floyd County in overtime last season and the Buffaloes made the Group A state tournament.
Covington, like Blacksburg, had trouble winning early and just made .500 this past week when it beat James River 64-60.
Coach Brad Morton's Cougars (7-7) still have an outside shot at the district title because they face once-beaten Parry McCluer at home.
What makes Covington a sleeper is the duo of scoring machine Van Rogers (23.0 points per game) and point guard Keen Jones (15.6 ppg, 4.3 assists per game). They are two of the toughest Group A players in the state.
\ TRIPLE-DOUBLES: Junior forward Monty Smith has been North Cross' hottest scorer, averaging 23 points to rank fourth in Timesland, but guard Marcus Cardwell has been having a better all-around season for the Raiders.
The 6-1 senior had his third triple-double Thursday, scoring 26 points, grabbing 12 rebounds and adding 10 assists in a 90-76 victory at Timberlake Christian.
Cardwell had 10 rebounds, 11 assists and 24 points in a 72-70 victory at Roanoke Valley Christian, and Monday, in a 90-72 victory over Carlisle, he scored 25 points, had 14 rebounds and added 12 assists while hitting 15 of 17 free throws.
\ COUNTED OUT: Former Franklin County coach Dean East is out as Patrick County's football coach. East, who will continue to teach at the school, was told in a letter that the move was "for the good of the program."
While Patrick County went 11-19 in three seasons under East, the Salem native points out that the Cougars have had only one .500 season in the school's history and had lost 21 in a row before he arrived.
Addison Kendrick, one of East's assistants, was named as a replacement.
"I wasn't given a reason why they did this to me," East said. "When an assistant whom I had difficulty with was named head coach days later, [that] is not a reason, it's just a fact."
Patrick County principal Bill Dillon, who by law cannot comment on personnel changes, said only that the decision to replace East was not sudden.
"He's [East] helped our program; I won't deny that," Dillon said. "At this juncture, we needed to make a change."
There are two other football openings in the Piedmont District. Bassett and Fieldale-Collinsville have advertised seeking replacements for Bobby Martin and Richard Savedge, respectively.
Martin, the head basketball coach, was an interim coach and is free to apply for the job again. He likely would have to make a choice if he does so.
Savedge is Fieldale-Collinsville's athletic director, but one source says school officials are urging him to remain the Cavaliers' football coach.
by CNB